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BREAKING: Allen West Endorses Sandy Adams in FL-07 Primary

Sandy Adams locked in another powerful endorsement for her reelection campaign today from one of her fellow freshmen members of Congress, Allen West.

Adams’ campaign sent out a press release this morning (I’ve included it below) with West’s endorsement, which is noteworthy not only for the enthusiastic support that West expresses for Adams, but also because West explicitly draws a distinction between the freshmen who were elected in 2010, and the “entrenched careerist politicians” who were supporting the status quo in Washington.

I’ve been involved in a long list of campaigns over the past few years, and I’ve seen an endless number of endorsements trotted out by candidates. The reality is that not all endorsements are created equal. All too often I’ve read endorsements and wondered if the endorser had ever even met the candidate they were endorsing.

In contrast, West’s endorsement of Adams is personal and detailed, describing how they both were elected in the conservative tidal wave elections of 2010, and how he shared a common purpose with her in “fighting to change the ways of Washington.”

West’s endorsement today is the latest in a long list of conservative leaders who have announced their support for Adams, including Sarah Palin, Erick Erickson, David Barton, Sheriff Joe Arpaio, Concerned Women for America, the National Right to Life, SBA List, and the Central Florida Tea Party Council (and yours truly!).

Mica may have outraised Adams in this race, but he hasn’t outworked her. There is an amazing grassroots army of volunteers who have been making phone calls, knocking on doors, and working hard to keep Sandy Adams in Congress, and I am hearing repeated stories from them that they are getting a very positive response from District 7 Republican voters.

This is absolutely a winnable race. There are no other contested higher-ticket races to drive turnout (the Governor’s race won’t be until 2014, and Connie Mack has the Senate primary pretty much tied up in a bow), so the Adams vs. Mica primary battle is the key attraction. Voter intensity is a difficult thing to measure, but Adams does seem to have an advantage with more enthusiastic supporters. In a low-turnout primary, hard work plus enthusiastic supporters can beat a better-financed opponent.

Remember, Allen West is no idiot. He’s a politically savvy member of Congress himself, who managed to turn a majority Democrat district into not just a winnable seat in 2010, but also an excellent platform from which he could start affecting the national stage. There is no way West would waste any of his political capital on Adams’ campaign if he wasn’t sure that not only is she a true conservative, but that she’s also a true conservative who can win.

Orlando, FL – Freshman Sandy Adams is proud to announce the endorsement today of fellow Florida freshman, Allen West. Together, West and Adams came to Congress in 2010 to fix what is broken in Washington, D.C. West joins former Alaska Governor and Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin, and America’s Toughest Sheriff Joe Arpaio, in supporting Sandy Adams over 20-year Washington insider John Mica.

West touted Adams’ patriotism and her ability to change the way Washington works in his endorsement statement:

“Two years ago, the citizens of Florida called for a change in the way things were going in our Nation’s Capital. Sandy Adams and I went to the United States House of Representatives to work to get our Republic back on track. We quickly learned the problems were deeper and there were some entrenched careerist politicians who supported the status-quo.

“These last two years, Sandy has been fighting to change the ways of Washington. She is a patriot with regard to preserving and protecting our nation and our Constitution. I fully endorse Sandy Adams candidacy for the 7th Congressional District because she represents a new generation of Republican Conservatives who have come to the Halls of Congress to find solutions and is working tireless against some on Capitol Hill who would rather perpetuate the problems.”

Adams welcomed West’s endorsement:

“There is no doubt about it, Washington, D.C. is broken. Sadly, even Republicans like John Mica are part of the problem. In 2010, Central Floridians sent me to Congress with patriots like Allen West with a mandate to stop the overspending in Washington. I am proud to say that we have made significant progress in our fight. No longer is the status quo acceptable. The entrenched Republicans and Democrats in Congress who have led us to our nearly $16 trillion debt will be held responsible.

“I am honored to receive Allen West’s endorsement today. Not only is he an American hero, but we share the same passion for preserving and protecting our nation’s Constitution and upholding the principles our great nation was founded upon. I have kept my promises to the Central Floridians who have given me the honor to represent them, and my fight to change the way Washington works is not finished.”